Are We Overthinking Everything?
The №1 Factor that Separates the Winners from the Rest
One of the biggest news and over-the-top winners in 2023 is Shohei Ohtani, a pitcher and designated hitter, who signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. This makes it the largest contract in professional sports history and baseball history.
As a baseball mom who traveled the country till my son joined the 2021–2022 Blue Jays baseball roster at Johns Hopkins University, I understood how significant that accomplishment is in the history of professional sports. At the same time, we can all learn something about the journey of one human being to reach a certain level of professionalism.
I remember reading Ohtani's story years ago before MLB drafted him from Japan. He lived a simple and dedicated life as a baseball player, which kept his mind in the game with little distraction.
One of my favorite books is HOW TO OWN YOUR OWN MIND by Napoleon Hill, which documented how Carnegie outlines why and how he succeeded — setting ambitious goals (creative vision), setting a definiteness of purpose (organized thought), and then having the perseverance and focus to follow through (controlled attention).
The power with which we think is “mental dynamite,” and it can be organized and used constructively for the attainment of definite ends. If it is not organized and used through controlled habits, it may become a “mental explosive” that will literally blast one’s hopes of achievement and lead to inevitable failure. — Andrew Carnegie
Using baseball as a metaphor, to hit a 90+mph fastball, your body would have to take over your mind to do what it’s trained to do for that homerun. Simply put, the winners are those who don’t overthink and just execute.
Essentially, for many of us today, in a digital world of information overload, self-care, mental solitude, and solidarity would affect our successes more than ever. Technology gives us unlimited access to stimuli, but it also challenges us to take extra strength to stay focused or not to lose our minds to distraction.
When I lead a team of engineers, sales, marketing, and operations as the CEO, I asked at an all-hands a simple question:
How much time do you spend thinking, doing, and talking at work?
You may be surprised how different the answers were. And there is really no right or wrong answer.
The truth is they are all intertwined. As leaders, we are responsible for setting the vision and holding everyone accountable for the execution. Not overthinking everything not only sets an example of action but also allows the team together to learn and grow through traction versus keeping spinning and eventually becoming overwhelmed with failure.
No matter how much you think about it, there is no guaranteed success. The winners are those who keep doing what they can and moving forward towards their goals without overthinking everything.
So why do the young generations tend to overthink in today’s world?
- The short-circuited perspective of life
The leveled playing field in the virtual world of connectivity provides a fast fashion of ideas and opportunities that come and go instantaneously. Being used to our mobile devices, everyone can swipe left and right as if the world is indeed at our fingertips. The browsing habit prevents our brain from processing a real end-to-end plan for our endeavors. As a result, most of us suffer from a lack of attention span.
- Data for data’s sake
Data analytics were supposed to help make informative decisions. Unfortunately, many who don’t really understand the cause and effect in business or life tend to question everything using data every step of the way without understanding the right context or the life cycle of the product or project.
- Seeking affirmation instead of success
Trials and errors are an essential part of the journey of human growth. We are not computers dictated by 0 and 1 code. Those seeking long-term growth overcome short-term pain and become stronger as leaders. The algorithms based on likes and eyeballs all over the internet are betrayals of the nature of force, which is driven by ultimate survival.
For this holiday season, I wish all human minds to be nurtured with love and wisdom. May 2024 bring us peace, health, and growth.
